Back in the days of the Nintendo 64, I was only able to buy about 2 or 3 games a year myself, having to wait until my birthday or Christmas to get the majority of my games. One of the games I picked up was Mario Golf 64. I loved that game. I would play it for hours on end in order to unlock all the secret characters, and courses. Because of this, I had Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour pre-ordered months in advance. I'm not disappointed at all.
Gameplay: 10/10
Mario Golf includes many modes for you to play including Ring Shot, in which you have to get par on a hole while hitting your ball through all the rings, Doubles play for fun with a friend, and of course, Tournament mode, in which you can unlock new courses to play on, including the same courses, but on harder difficulties. All of these different options will keep you coming back for more.
Graphics: 10/10
While Mario Golf doesn't push the Gamecube to its graphical limits, it still looks good. The water looks great, and the close-up textures, such as the grass in the rough looks amazing. The graphics are more cartoonish then the ones that you would find in a game such as Tiger Woods 2003, but they have that Nintendo touch to them.
Control: 10/10
While some people may complain that the lack of an analog control such as the one found in Tiger Woods 2003 is horrible, I have no trouble with the current click mode. With the options for both automatic and manual, one of your friends who have never played the game can jump right in without much trouble. This really sets this game apart as it makes it easy for everyone to play. While the addition of an optional analog control would have pleased many people, I think that the click mode still works fine.
Replay: 10/10
All of the play modes will keep you busy for a very long time, along with the option to put in codes to enter tournaments online. You'll definitely come back to play on harder difficulty levels to test your skills. It's also a great game for you to play with your friends. Mario Golf will keep you coming back for a long time.
Overall: 10/10
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour is the game that I imagined it to be. With many modes of play, many characters to choose from, and a variety of courses, Mario Golf is great. Overall, Mario Golf is an excellent game that every Gamecube owner should add to their collection, even if they're not a golf fan.
